The number of older people is constantly increasing, and more and more people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Apparently, seniors who take a daily multivitamin can improve their memory and slow down their cognitive decline, according to a meta-analysis that is published in Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Older people generally have increased need for certain vitamins and minerals because of poor nutrient absorption in the digestive system, impaired enzyme functions, oxidative stress, and regular use of medical drugs that can interact with the nutrients. But how do different vitamins and minerals affect brain health?

Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease and the leading cause of dementia. It’s also one of the major causes of death in old age. Diet plays a major role in preventing the disease. In fact, having high concentrations of the omega-3fatty acid, DHA, in the blood can halve the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study that is published in Nutrients. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is found in oily fish and fish oil supplements. This essential fatty acid is also found in all our cell membranes (including nerve cells) and plays a key role in maintaining our general health and cognitive skills. Unfortunately, modern diets contain far too little omega-3, but science is not quite sure how much we need.

Apparently so. According to a new study published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia, older people who take a daily multivitamin supplement for several years are far less likely to develop dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other types of cognitive decline. The new study supports earlier research where it has been seen that the different vitamins and minerals increase cerebral blood flow and protect neurons. It pays off to choose high-quality supplements to make sure that the nutrients are properly absorbed in the body.

Choline is one of the B vitamins and is necessary for our central nervous system, energy turnover, lipid metabolism, and many other functions. It appears to be a somewhat forgotten nutrient, and science now links choline deficiency to Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases, according to a study that is published in the journal Aging Cell.

- and antioxidants like selenium, Q10, and melatonin play a role in prevention and treatment

There is a link between depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Also, it appears that chronic stress contributes to oxidative stress and brain cell damage. In a review article that is published in the science journal Antioxidants, researchers look closer at how oxidative stress affects the brain. They also study how antioxidants can be included in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and why the most promising results are seen with selenium, Q10, melatonin, vitamin E, turmeric, and polyphenols. With regard to depression, selenium, zinc, vitamin E, turmeric, and saffron have demonstrated the greatest potential.

Vitamin B3 plays a crucial role in our brain and nervous system, and it is also important for our mental well-being. Studies suggest that lack of vitamin B3 increases the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. Moreover, epidemiological studies show that diets without vitamin B3 in them tend to cause aggression and an increased rate of homicide. Too little B3 can be caused by dietary shortages and environmental factors, but it also appears that some people have an increased need for the nutrient due to genetic variations and problems with utilizing the vitamin.

Brain cells (neurons) contain comparatively large concentrations of vitamin C, a nutrient that helps us maintain a healthy nervous system in a number of different ways. Scientists have discovered that lack of vitamin C can affect the brain’s neural signaling. Consequently, a vitamin C deficiency can impair memory and other cognitive skills in seniors. This was demonstrated in a study from Flinders University in Australia. Mild cognitive impairment is widespread among older people and represents an early stage of dementia so it is important to get plenty of vitamin C every day throughout life.

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia. Science has observed changes in the brain that show decades before the disease surfaces. According to a study carried out by the Italian neurologist Lisa Mosconi, eating a Mediterranean diet helps lower the risk of some of these changes that signal the onset of the disease. The study results suggest that one can help prevent this common neurological disorder by eating Mediterranean-style food. What is also important is to focus on having stable blood sugar levels and getting the right nutrients that strengthen and protect the brain.

Neurological diseases are on the rise and Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes of dementia. Now, scientists from Boston University have discovered that slow-moving brain waves during our sleep initiate a cleansing process in the brain that protects against Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other neurological disorders. Also, a study of men conducted by scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden demonstrated that as little as a single night without sleep increases levels of proteins that serve as biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. It is therefore essential to sleep properly every single night so that we can remain mentally alert and vital. In cases where the normal guidelines for healthy sleep prove to be of little use, supplementing with the “sleep hormone” melatonin may turn out to offer relief.

It’s commonly known that physical activity boosts the brain’s ability to form new brain cells – or neurons. Still, the underlying mechanisms have been a mystery to science. A team of Australian scientists, however, has recently discovered that, during exercise, mice produce a selenium-containing protein that helps the brain synthesize new brain cells. The scientists consider this to be a rather fantastic study, and it is assumed that selenium therapy may be used in the future to prevent and treat cognitive decline in people who are unable to carry out physical exercise or in those likely to be selenium-deficient. This is particularly relevant for Alzheimer’s patients and people who have suffered a stroke. It should be added that it can be quite a challenge to get enough selenium from an otherwise balanced diet in our part of the world.

- by way of different mechanisms

There seems to be a relation between ageing, Alzheimer’s disease, and the widespread problems with selenium deficiency. According to a new study that is published in Antioxidants, scientist have revealed how different selenium-containing proteins can affect pathological processes in the brain that are known to cause Alzheimer’s disease. They believe selenium may have therapeutical potential in the treatment of this disease, which is one of the greatest disease burdens and a leading cause of death among seniors. Selenium also helps in the prevention of the disease, which is extremely important because it is often difficult to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages.

The brain is particularly vulnerable towards oxidative stress and local inflammation that can set the stage for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions. However, it turns out that certain selenium-containing antioxidants are able to protect the brain neurons against damage. Also, selenium supplements can improve cognitive performance in patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a meta-analysis that is published in Nutrients.

Alzheimer’s is a growing health burden worldwide, and diet appears to play a major role. A large meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience recently revealed that patients with Alzheimer’s disease have lower levels of magnesium in their blood and cerebrospinal fluid compared to healthy controls. This suggests that being magnesium-deficient may be a risk factor in Alzheimer’s disease.

Alcohol is one of the most compromising factors when it comes to public health, and alcohol abuse comes at an enormous cost, both to the individual and to society. A large alcohol consumption contributes as a factor to insidious dementia, but according to a new study from Taiwan, supplementing with vitamin B1 (thiamine) may prevent alcohol-induced dementia. The scientists that have conducted the study therefore point to vitamin B1 supplementation as having an important role in the treatment plan for people with alcohol abuse problems and to prevent dementia from developing or progressing.

Vitamin B3 deserves a lot more attention because of its key role in cellular energy metabolism, the brain and nervous system, our mental health, and our circulatory system. In the cellular powerhouses, we find the derivate form of B3 called NAD, which gives an energy boost. According to a study published in StatPearls, studies suggest that vitamin B3 lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle atrophy, and various cancer forms. Many people have an increased need for the nutrient due to factors such as ageing, genetic variations, and poor utilization of the vitamin.

Dementia is on the rise across the globe but according to a study from University of South Australia, vitamin D may have the potential to pull the brake on the degenerative processes. The scientists have observed a direct link between the widespread problems with vitamin D deficiency and the increasing rate of dementia. At the same time, they assume that optimizing people’s vitamin D status in the blood may help prevent millions of dementia cases worldwide. The need for vitamin D varies from person to person, it should be noted, and many people have a higher need for the vitamin than what is officially recommended.

- and deficiencies increase your risk of anxiety, depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, schizophrenia, and other neurological diseases

Psychological disorders represent society’s single largest disease burden, and an increasing number of people are affected by it. There can be a variety of causes, and lack of vitamin D appears to be an alarming risk factor. This is because vitamin D is involved in a host of different functions that are relevant for brain neurons, including signaling substances and the brain’s reward system that affects our mood. Vitamin D also helps protect the brain against toxins, atherosclerosis, and inflammation, according to a review article that is published in the science journal Cureus. But there are questions that need to be answered. How much vitamin D do we need? Can we get enough from sun exposure? Is there enough vitamin D in a regular vitamin pill? Why do children, seniors, pregnant women, overweight individuals, and dark-skinned people have an increased need for vitamin D? And which mineral is extremely important for the body’s ability to utilize vitamin D?

The number of older people is increasing rapidly, which means more and more people suffer from different types of dementia. Vitamin D supplementation may help prevent dementia or delay its progression, according to a population study that is published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring. It is important to have optimal blood levels of the nutrient throughout life, simply because it often takes years for dementia to develop, and because vitamin D has many different functions that are relevant for brain health.

Vitamin D plays a major role in our health. The main focus, however, is on vitamin D’s importance for bones, while many health professionals are totally unaware of the nutrient’s other essential functions. According to a review article published in Nutrients, half the global population has low vitamin D levels in the blood, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory infections like COVID-19, and early death. The authors also mention that vitamin D science is often inadequate or misleading because studies focus on supplementation rather than looking at blood levels of 25(OH)D. Consequently, trials are often made with far too small vitamin D doses or with too a short a trial period. In either case, blood levels of vitamin D fail to reach their optimum. What is more, levels of 25(OH)D in the blood should ideally be above 75 nmol/L in order to protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. Because this threshold level is higher than the official threshold levels, the scientists recommend high-dosed vitamin D levels as a way to reach an optimal nutrient status.

- and other types of organ damage

Vitamin K occurs naturally in different forms. The vitamin is primarily known for its role in blood coagulation, but a team of German scientists has found a new type of vitamin K. This form serves as a very particular type of antioxidant that counteracts cell death caused by a process called ferroptosis. Because ferroptosis is involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, acute organ damage, and other diseases, the researchers see a whole new potential for vitamin K in the prevention and mitigation of ferroptosis-related ailments. Earlier studies even suggest that selenium-containing antioxidants also protect against cell death caused by ferroptosis.

We have relatively large quantities of zinc in our central nervous system where it plays a vital role in various physiological and pathological processes. Zinc is also important for brain development, various gene activities, the formation of new neurons, and the immune defense. What is more, zinc is a vital antioxidant that protects the brain against calcification and cell damage caused by oxidative stress. Zinc deficiency is a global problem and may be involved in a number of different neurological diseases – including stroke, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, according to a new review article that is published in Biomolecules.